Registered YouthRegistered YouthWorker TrainingWorker TrainingRegistered YouthRegistered YouthWorker TrainingWorker TrainingWorker TrainingWorker TrainingWorker TrainingWorker Training

Overview and Application ProcessOverview and Application Process

Registered Youth WorkerPurpose

• Educate the church on reducing therisk of child abuse in programs ofministry

• Screen, select, and register all• Screen, select, and register allpeople who serve children and youthin the church

What Is Abuse?

Bringing harm to a young person thatoccurs immediately or throughaccumulated effects over a period ofoccurs immediately or throughaccumulated effects over a period oftime

4 Categories of Abuse

• Neglect

– When harm is caused by withholding life’snecessities

• Emotional

– When young people are consistently told theyare of no worth and never will be

• Physical– Bodily injury of person

• Sexual– Any sexual activity between young

person and adult

– Sexual activity between young people– Sexual activity between young peoplewith unequal distribution of power

– Exposure to sexual activity orpornography without their directparticipation

Overview• Church has developed basic

protection barriers

– Protects children and youth frompotential abuserspotential abusers

– Protects those working with childrenfrom false accusations

Guiding Principle• Only registered youth workers will be

used in the church’s children andyouth programs and ministries.

• Registered youth worker assistants• Registered youth worker assistantswill only be used under thesupervision of a registered youthworker.

Foundational Principle 1• Education

– Educate young people, parents, childrenand youth workers, counselors,counselors-in-training, employees,counselors-in-training, employees,volunteers, jurisdictional officers,members, and friends about the risk ofchild abuse.

Foundational Principle 2• Selection

– Use an established procedure in the selectionof ministers and volunteers to minimize therisk that those persons will abuse children andyouth.risk that those persons will abuse children andyouth.

– We are morally and legally duty-bound to haveall potential youth workers go through anapplication and screening procedure beforethey begin sharing ministry.

Foundational Principle 3

• Training

– Provide opportunities for children andyouth workers that will sensitize them

– Provide opportunities for children andyouth workers that will sensitize themto the issues of abuse: preventing,detecting, responding, and reporting.

Foundational Principle 4• Protection Barriers

– Follow procedures that will reduce thelikelihood that those who abuse childrenand youth will have access to them.and youth will have access to them.

– Only those who are properly screenedand selected should have access tochildren and youth on an ongoing basis.

6 Month Rule• Person MUST attend a congregation

for at least six (6) months prior toapplying to become registered youthworkerworker– Allow individuals to become better

known

– Evaluate suitability to work withchildren and youth

Two-deep Leadership• Two fully registered youth workers

REQUIRED

– All trips and outings

– All children’s and youth programs– All children’s and youth programs

– Co-ed activitiesMUST haveco-ed leadership

•No one adult shouldever be alone withone young personever be alone withone young personbehind closed doors

Visible One-on-OneContact

• All contact withchildren and youthshould be in view ofother adults andother adults andyoung people.

•No one adult shouldever be alone withone young personever be alone withone young personbehind closed doors

Respect of Privacy• Respect privacy of

children and youth atall times.– Especially important in

shared housing settingsshared housing settingssuch as camps

– All need privacy whenchanging clothes,bathing, etc.

Appropriate Dress• Proper clothing for

activities isrequired

– Christ-centered– Christ-centerednature of ministry

– Model appropriatebehavior and dress

Constructive Discipline• Keep discipline constructive

• Reflect values of the church• Reflect values of the church

• Corporal punishment is not an option

Appropriate PhysicalContact

• Exercise discretion at all times

• Physical contact must be for benefitof childof child

–Give affirmation

–Provide comfort when hurting

–Express joy

–Offer protection

Youth Worker Assistants

• Young people between15-20 years old

• Must be supervised at• Must be supervised atall times by registeredyouth worker

Foundational Principle 5• Prompt and Full Reporting

– Encourage children, youth, and adults toreport improper behavior directedtoward them.toward them.

– Cooperate fully with local, state, andfederal authorities.

– Determine a proactive status regardingreporting and cooperation.

Prompt Reporting:The First R is “Recognize”

• Young people need to be able toRECOGNIZE situations that placethem at risk of abuse, how abusersRECOGNIZE situations that placethem at risk of abuse, how abusersmight operate, and that anyone canbe an abuser.

Prompt Reporting:The Second R is “Resist”

• Young people need to know that ifthey RESIST, most would-be abuserswill leave them alone.they RESIST, most would-be abuserswill leave them alone.

Prompt Reporting:The Third R is “Reporting”

• Young people need to know theimportance of REPORTING anyattempted or actual abuse.importance of REPORTING anyattempted or actual abuse.

The Child’s Bill of Rights• Trust their own instincts and feelings.

• Expect privacy.

• Withhold information that could placethem in danger.them in danger.

• Refuse gifts.

• Say “no” to unwanted touching oraffection.

• Say “no” to inappropriate demandsand requests from others.

• Be rude and unhelpful if the situationwarrants.

• Run, scream, or make a scene.• Run, scream, or make a scene.

• Physically fight off unwantedadvances.

• Ask for help.

Foundational Principle 6• Swift Action

– Respond quickly to allegations of childabuse

– Remove alleged offenders from contactwith children and youth immediately.

• Children and youth workers who suspectabuse or who receive information aboutabuse are REQUIRED to inform theirpastor or administrative supervisor.

• All states and provinces (US and Canada)have laws requiring the reporting ofsuspected abuse; know them and abide bythem.

• Children and youth ministers who areaccused of abuse must beimmediately removed from directcontact and supervision with childrencontact and supervision with childrenand youth.

Becoming a RegisteredBecoming a RegisteredYouth WorkerYouth Worker

Becoming a RegisteredBecoming a RegisteredYouth WorkerYouth WorkerYouth WorkerYouth WorkerYouth WorkerYouth Worker

• Application process begins atcongregational level

– Sunday school teacher

– Vacation Bible School

Beginning the Process…

– Vacation Bible School

– Jr. High/Sr. High youth programs

– Any youth programs of the church

Training

• Covers number of topics

– Why the youth registration is in place

– Different types of abuse

– Ways to protect children from potential– Ways to protect children from potentialabusers

– How to respond to reports of past orcurrent abuse

Application Form• General information (name/address/birth

date/home congregation)

• Ever been convicted of crime (other thanminor traffic violation)?minor traffic violation)?

• Ever been recorded by Department ofSocial Services (or other similar agency)?

• 3 references

Approval Process

• Completed application goes to pastor

– Pastor (or individual delegated by pastoror mission center) contacts references

• Pastor (or designated person)interviews the candidate

– Why they want to becomeregistered

– What skills they have

– What weaknesses– What weaknesses

• If application is correctly completed, andreferences support, pastor signs approvaland sends to Mission Center for review.

• If references do not support, the approvalprocess cannot proceed.

• Mission Center review commentsfrom pastor– If everything is in order, application is

sent to International HQ for finalreview

– If application is not supported byMission Center, process ends and pastor

– If application is not supported byMission Center, process ends and pastoris informed the application is denied• Pastor notifies applicant

• If appropriate, suggest ways to volunteerthat do not relate to children

• At International HQ…– Application reviewed by Legal Services

– After approval, InternationalHeadquarters staff add profile toHeadquarters staff add profile toShelby to indicate individual isregistered youth worker

– Filling out the form does notautomatically mean you are registered

If Problem…i.e., Crime conviction or Record from

Department of Social Services

• Additional documentation required

• Youth Worker Special CircumstancesCommittee will reviewCommittee will review

• Mission Center may approve or mayrequest not to sign off on application,depending on Committee determination

What Happens If…• If application is denied, the process

ends

• May re-apply 1 year later ifcircumstances have changed

• May re-apply 1 year later ifcircumstances have changedsignificantly

Revocation• Current process does not include

renewal process – always registeredUNLESS…

– Crime is committed– Crime is committed

– Accusation of inappropriate behavior

– Suspension or silence from priesthood

Being a registered youth workeris not an entitlement or aright…

It is a privilege.